Adjustably telescoped stilt device



Jan. 23, 1968 e. B. HANSBURG 3,365,195

ADJUSTABLY TELESCOPED STILT DEVICE INVENTOR GEORGE 3. HAN-SBURG BY Z ATTORNEY Filed Aug. 5, 1965 United States Patent 3,365,195 ADJUSTABLY TELESCOPED STlLT DEVKCE George B. Hansburg, Hansburg Acres, Walker Valley, NY. 12588 Filed Aug. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 477,476 1 Claim. (CE. 272-70.1)

This invention relates to a stilt device, and more particularly to a stilt device which is adjustable to enable it to be used by tall or short children and adults.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to an attractive and light weight stilt device which is rendered adjustable without any sacrifice of structural rigidity and strength or durability.

Further, this invention relates to a stilt device which may readily be shipped and stored in compact form, yet may readily be adjusted to the length required for its intended use.

Stilts of the sort herein contemplated are desirably manufactured of light weight material, such as aluminum tubing or the like. Since such stilts are relatively long for their intended use, they generally are shipped in knockeddown condition, to minimize the length of the packaging which must be used. Understandably, there is consumer resistance to devices which must be bolted together and assembled prior to use and accordingly, stilts requiring the purchaser to assemble them in this manner have enjoyed limited success.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a stilt device that may readily be fabricated at relatively low cost from strong, light weight material, which may be stored and shipped in a container of minimum size without any stufling material and may be adjusted to the relatively long length desired for use without any tools and in a relatively simple operation.

According to the invention, these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and more particularly recited in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pair of stilts in accordance with the invention in collapsed condition, there being shown in dot and dash lines the preferred dimensions of a container therefor;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a stilt in accordance with the invention in condition for use, and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a pair of stilts 10, it). Since the two stilts are identical, a description of one will suffice.

The stilt preferably comprises a decorative elongated body portion 11 which is optionally but preferably fabricated of aluminum or like light weight, structurally rigid material. The body portion 11 may, if desired, be anodized or otherwise finished, preferably to provide a bright, pleasing appearance.

Each stilt includes a foot support 12 consisting of a metal strip 13 which is bent to define an annular portion 14 which closely conforms to the outer circumference of the body portion 11. The strip 13 is securely fastened to the body portion, as by a transversely extending rivet 15.

The upper edge 16 of the strip member 13 is spread laterally to define a pair of outwardly extending flanges 17, 17, see FIG. 2, which flanges form a support for a sole piece 18 which is optionally but preferably formed of rubber or like wear-resistant anti-skid composition. Preferably, the strip 13 at the portion adjacent the flanges 17 is formed with a series of reinforcing ribs 19, to provide additional rigidity. Similarly, reinforcing ribs 20 may be formed in the area of the strip 13 adjacent the annular portion 14.

An extensible leg member 21, preferably comprising tubular aluminum or the like, is snugly but slidably telescoped or nested within the lower end 22 of the body portion. The. length of the tubular leg member 21 approximates or slightly exceeds the distance between the lower end 22 of the body portion 11 and the fastener member 15. An anti-friction foot or tip 23 is carried by the outwardly projecting end of the leg member 21, the tip, in use, serving the usual ground contacting function. The diameter of the tip 23 is preferably greater than the diameter of the body portion 11, for purposes which will appear hereinafter.

Telescopically and slidably nested Within the other end 24 of the body portion is a balance arm 25. The length of the balance arm approximates the distance between the end 24- of the body portion and the fastener 15.

To the outermost projecting end 26 of the balance arm there is affixed a decorative knob member 27, preferably of plastic material, which functions to guard the user against the possibly sharp edge portion of the balance arm. The diameter of the knob 27 is preferably greater than the diameter of the body portion, for purposes which will appear hereafter.

The stilt device is provided with means for locking the leg member 21 and balance arm 25 in a plurality of extended positions with respect to the body portion 11. For this purpose, the body portion is provided with a first series of spaced apertures 28 in spaced relation to the end 24, and a second series of spaced apertures 29 in spaced relation to the end 22.

The balance arm 25, adjacent its innermost end 25a is provided with an aperture 30 which, as the balance arm is slid longitudinally with respect to the body portion, may be progressively moved into registry with a selected one of the apertures 28.

Disposed within the inner end 25a of the balance arm is a hairpin spring 31, having one leg 32 biased against an inner Wall of tubular balance arm 25, the other leg 33 of the spring carrying a detent 34. The de'tent 34 includes a cylindrical body portion 35 of a size which may pass through and rest within the registering apertures 28, 30, the innermost end of the detent having an annular shoulder 36 which bears against the inner wall of the balance arm surrounding the aperture 39.

An identical spring detent member 34a is supported within the upper end 21a of the leg member 21, and serves to lock the leg member to the body portion by projecting outwardly through aperture 37 formed in the leg member and any of the registering apertures 29 of the body portion.

From the foregoing description it will be readily recognized that the stilts, when received in the condition shown in FIG. 1, may be quickly placed in operative condition by extending the telescoped leg members and balance arms to any desired adjustment. For this purpose, the detents 34, 34a are pressed inwardly until the same are disposed entirely within the balance arm and leg, respectively, whereupon it is merely necessary to slide these parts to the desired adjusted position. When the desired adjustment is achieved, the detents will snap back through the registering apertures as above noted.

It is an important feature of the present invention that a pair of stilts are so constructed as to support each other against shifting movement when properly assembled in a box, the construction of the stilts being such as to prevent abrasion of any part of the decorative body portion which might result from a contact of such portion, with the other stilt or with a portion of the package.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the width W of the container is approximately equal to twice the diameter of the body portion plus the length of one of the shoe supports 12. The stilts are arranged in the box with the soft end of the sole plate of one stilt pressing against the body portion of the other stilt, the sole portion of the other stilt having a similar disposition with respect to the first stilt. It will thus be seen that the shoe supports press the stilts outwardly away from each other and toward the side walls of the box. However, since the diameters of the knob 27 and the tip 23 preferably exceed the diameter of the body portion, it will be seen that the outward pressure aforesaid will serve to press only the knob and the tip against the side walls of the container while maintaining a clearance space between said side walls and the body portion proper.

The length of the container, see FIG. 1, preferably corresponds to the length of the aligned stilts and thus it will be evident that the closed container prevents any up and down movement of the stilts within the container.

From the foregoing it will be observed that no part of the decorated body portion is permitted to touch a wall of the container, the only engagement with the body portion being effected by the soft and hence nOnscarring elastomeric sole plates 18.

By thus packaging the stilts, it is possible to dispense with the normal practice of wrapping the parts and/or stufling bulk filler itno the box for the purpose of eliminating shifting movement of the articles within the container. Such elimination not only results in saving of stufiing material and the labor of wrapping the components, but additionally reduces the overall weight of the container.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely diiterent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claim, it is intended that all matter con ttained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A telescoping stilt device comprising a tubular body portion, a shoe support rigidly fixed to, and projecting laterally from said body portion, a tubular leg member sleeved within said body portion and shiftable longitudinally with respect thereto, said leg member having an end part projecting outwardly through the lower end of said body portion, a resilient anti-friction tip mounted on said end part, spring detent means interposed between said body portion and said leg member for locking said leg member in a plurality of longitudinal adjusted positions with respect to said body portion, a tubular balance arm sleeved within the upper end of said body portion, said arm being shiftable axially of said body portion, retractible detent means interposed between said body portion and said arm for selectively locking said arm in extending and retracted positions with respect to said body portion, the length of said leg member approximating the distance between said shoe support and said lower end of said body portion and the length of said arm approximating the distance between said shoe support and the upper end of said body portion, and said shoe support being fastened to said body portion by a fastener member extending transversely across said body portion, said fastener member functioning, in addition, as an end stop for limiting longitudinal movement of said leg portion and said balance arm inwardly of said body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,057,013 10/1936 Curtis 272-701 2,228,592 1/1941 Curtis 27270.l 2,477,893 8/1949 Petersen 272--70.1 2,594,605 4/ 1952 Zoppelt 27262 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TELESCOPING STILT DEVICE COMPRISING A TUBULAR BODY PORTION, A SHOE SUPPORT RIGIDLY FIXED TO, AND PROJECTING LATERALLY FROM SAID BODY PORTION, A TUBULAR LEG MEMBER SLEEVED WITHIN SAID BODY PORTION AND SHIFTABLE LONGITUDINALLY WITH RESPECT THERETO, SAID LEG MEMBER HAVING AN END PART PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE LOWER END OF SAID BODY PORTION, A RESILIENT ANTI-FRICTION TIP MOUNTED ON SAID END PART, SPRING DETENT MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID BODY PORTION AND SAID LEG MEMBER FOR LOCKING SAID LEG MEMBER IN A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTED POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY PORTION, A TUBULAR BALANCE ARM SLEEVED WITHIN THE UPPER END OF SAID BODY PORTION, SAID ARM BEING SHIFTABLE AXIALLY OF SAID BODY PORTION, RETRACTIBLE DETENT MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID BODY PORTION AND SAID ARM FOR SELECTIVELY LOCKING SAID ARM IN EXTENDING AND RETRACTED POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY PORTION, THE LENGTH OF SAID LEG MEMBER APPROXIMATING THE 